Emma Simmons

Emma Simmons is a driven leader in the Purdue BME student body and is motivated to save lives through healthcare innovation. She says, “I wanted to choose a major that would help people. I also find it really interesting, because in BME here at Purdue, subjects are interconnected. We see biomedical applications with a mechanical focus, with an electrical focus, and with a coding focus. We see how all of it works together to make biomedical engineering.” Emma has made the most of her time in BME, taking on a wide range of responsibilities and opportunities.

Industry Experience

Emma interned at Helmer Scientific in Noblesville, Indiana. She has this to say about her experience: “I loved it there. It was a fun time and I learned so much. It was very different from class and work.” Next, Emma will be working for Eli Lilly in their drug discovery and development team. She says, “It’s pharmaceutical based: a little more chemistry and biochemistry, which I’m excited about, because it’s a big departure from the mechanical and electrical side that I did last summer and in last year’s coursework. It’s more related to the research that I do in Dr. Solorio’s lab, which I love.”

Research

Emma’s research with Dr. Solorio has been formative in her college life, expanding her experience of BME.  In the lab, she works with in-situ forming implants (ISFI) that are degradable. She explains the process, saying, “I’ll make a polymer gel that gets injected into the body. Except, we do it in a solution—something that’s like the body— and then the gel forms into a solid and it slowly degrades. The goal is to be able to stabilize the process to achieve controlled, predictable drug release...It provides me with a different opportunity to learn. You learn very different skills; it’s a lot more flexible. It definitely has helped round me out not only as an engineer but also as an applicant. It gives me a leg up.”

Involvement

Another facet of life that gives Emma a competitive edge is her participation in organizations, which allows her to hone her skills in communication and leadership. Emma is an ambassador for the Weldon school. She describes one of the events, saying, “One of the Weldon family members came in and did breakfast with some students. It was a cool opportunity to represent the school and talk about not only what Mr. Weldon was doing but also our own experiences.”

Emma is also president of the Biomedical Engineering Society Purdue chapter (BMES). The society’s goal is to create a community and provide development opportunities. Emma elaborates: “We have a mentor, mentee program which is really successful this year. All of them are friends; we do events together to bridge that class gap.” Among other events, BMES also holds an industrial roundtable networking dinner, and a Pie-a-Professor event that raises funds for cancer research.

Emma is involved in two other societies: The Society of Women Engineers, and The Society of Professional Engineers. She says, “The thing is, my student organizations are fun to me. It’s a good mix of groups and people. It helps make campus smaller.”

Insights and Hobbies

BME’s sense of community is one of Emma’s favorite parts of life at Purdue. She enjoys a variety of activities with friends. She says, “I love to bake, and I love to cook. I spend a lot of time with my roommates—they’re fun. And I do watch movies every so often. I paint, on occasion, which is a good creative outlet. My roommates and I sometimes follow Bob Ross videos.” She values the warmth of the BME student body, saying, “It’s a friendly and eclectic community. It’s a group of people of different backgrounds all coming in with the same idea of wanting to innovate.” Emma’s excitement about her experiences are amplified by looking to the future, as she plans for a study abroad semester in Ireland.